THE BUZZ!
3 women contracted HIV after getting ‘vampire facials’ at an unlicensed medical spa, federal authorities say
Ever heard of a “vampire facial”?
A treatment for making the skin look smoother, tighter, and fuller. It involves collecting blood from a patient, separating the plasma and platelets, and re-injecting the mixture back into the skin. Sounds pretty glam, right?
Well, for three women in New Mexico, it turned into a health scare. These women actually contracted HIV after getting their vampire facials at an unlicensed spa.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports a first-of-its-kind case: three people contracted HIV from cosmetic injection procedures.
It turns out that the spa’s safety protocols were nonexistent. Unwrapped syringes lay scattered in drawers and on counters. Blood samples lacked proper labeling – a recipe for disaster in any medical setting.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, cosmetic surgery in the US is a $24.3 billion-a-year industry, with surgical procedures increasing by almost 20% between 2019 and 2022. Top procedures in 2022 include liposuction, breast augmentation, tummy tuck, breast lift, and eyelid surgery.
Source: Business Insider
